Rock of Ages' is Broadway cut with rock-n-roll

“Rock of Ages,” which is part of the Kimmel Center’s “Broadway Series,” is structured around hits from the ’80s — songs such as Slade’s “Cum On Feel the Noize,” Steve Perry’s “Oh Sherrie,” Twisted Sister’s “We’re Not Gonna Take It” and Starship’s “We Built This City.”

When “Rock of Ages” touches down in Philadelphia for a five-show run at the Merriam Theater from June 14-16, the national tour of the hit musical will have come full circle.

“I’ve been with the show for two years now,” said Shannon Mullen, who plays the role of Sherrie, during a phone interview last week from a tour stop in Portland, Oregon. “I joined right from the start and 515 shows later I’m still doing it.

“This tour began in 2011 and we played Philadelphia right after we opened. Now, we’re ending this run with the shows in Philadelphia in mid-June. We’ll have a 10-week hiatus and then we’ll go to Taiwan and Singapore in the fall.”

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If you’re a fan of the rock music that was produced in the 1980s, then you definitely need to see “Rock of Ages.” Actually, if you’re a fan of rock music from any era, you’ll probably enjoy the jukebox musical that is returning to the Merriam Theater.

The show, which is part of the Kimmel Center’s “Broadway Series,” is structured around hits from the ’80s — songs such as Slade’s “Cum On Feel the Noize,” Steve Perry’s “Oh Sherrie,” Twisted Sister’s “We’re Not Gonna Take It” and Starship’s “We Built This City.”

The main story deals with Drew and Sherrie, who met on a street in Los Angeles. Drew wants to be a rock star and Sherrie wants to be a designer. She’s a waitress at a rock club called the Bourbon Room.

“Sherrie is a dreamer — very much like me,” said Mullen, a native of Rochester, N.Y. “She grew up in a small town and the big city opens her eyes. She’s very quirky. She’s naïve and just sees the best in each person. She has awareness that she’s naïve but that doesn’t change who she is.”

Mullen has also acted in national tours of “Hairspray” and “Legally Blonde.” Each role has provided different challenges.

“The most challenging part of ‘Rock of Ages’ is that it is such a high-energy show,” said Mullen, who started touring with “Hairspray” two days after she graduated from college a few years ago. “You’re on the road constantly and, even with all the travelling, you have to keep up your energy. Maintaining stamina with travel is the hardest part.”

The quick-moving plot takes a lot of twists and turns throughout the show but the one constant is the music — especially the powerful glam-rock hits from the era.

“This is not a typical musical,” said Mullen, who earned a B.F.A. from SUNY-Buffalo. “It’s a combination of a rock concert and a Broadway show rolled into one. It’s fun. It’s fast-paced and the music is infectious.

“It has a really good story. It’s something that people can relate to. Everyone has dreams and everyone hits bumps in the road along the way. And, everybody loves a happy ending.”

“Rock of Ages” is playing the Merriam Theater (260 S. Broad St., Philadelphia, 215-893-1999, www.kimmelcenter.org/broadway) from June 14-16. Tickets range in price from $20-$100.